1
as in directions
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle
a young go-getter who lost his moral compass in the course of his quest for fame and fortune
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in scopes
an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends
within the compass of my voice
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in edges
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something
within the compass of the city walls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in implements
to carry through (as a process) to completion
attempting more than his modest abilities could compass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in circles
to travel completely around
the great age of exploration, when ships of sail compassed the earth
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in plots
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
the rebels are compassing the assassination of the king
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in surrounds
to form a circle around
a mysterious isle, compassed by treacherous seas
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in knows
to have a clear idea of
the concept that the earth is billions of years old is one that the average mind struggles to compass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of compasses
Alex James Kane,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
As for steering a buggy to the Artemis base, compasses don’t work on the moon, and dust will adhere to optics, so NASA has pioneered plans to use Earth’s Galileo and GPS satellites to navigate.
—
Dan Vergano,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
Pilots learn to navigate using maps and compasses, as well as natural cues such as stars and terrain features including rivers, bridges and other landmarks to orient themselves and move toward friendly forces.
—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Likewise, this administration has demonstrated a talent for sudden pivots — foreign policy statements that change overnight, budget proposals that evaporate by morning, and messaging that suggests the communications team may be using different maps, compasses and time zones.
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
In ordinary magnetic materials, unpaired electrons behave like tiny compasses and eventually align with one another.
—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Jan. 2026
Over 1,000 years ago, explorers began using compasses, typically made with a floating cork or piece of wood with a magnetized needle in it, to find their way.
—
Scott Brame,
The Conversation,
16 Dec. 2025
Starting in 1910, the company served as the secretive supplier to the commandos of the Italian Navy, starting out crafting precision instruments such as gun sights and luminescent compasses before creating its first watches in 1935.
—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
Orienteering is an outdoor sport that requires athletes to navigate between checkpoints using maps and compasses.
—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
So many role-playing games spoonfeed you with compasses and waypoints and fourth-wall-breaking warnings.
—
Alex James Kane,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
As for steering a buggy to the Artemis base, compasses don’t work on the moon, and dust will adhere to optics, so NASA has pioneered plans to use Earth’s Galileo and GPS satellites to navigate.
—
Dan Vergano,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
Pilots learn to navigate using maps and compasses, as well as natural cues such as stars and terrain features including rivers, bridges and other landmarks to orient themselves and move toward friendly forces.
—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Likewise, this administration has demonstrated a talent for sudden pivots — foreign policy statements that change overnight, budget proposals that evaporate by morning, and messaging that suggests the communications team may be using different maps, compasses and time zones.
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
In ordinary magnetic materials, unpaired electrons behave like tiny compasses and eventually align with one another.
—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Jan. 2026
Over 1,000 years ago, explorers began using compasses, typically made with a floating cork or piece of wood with a magnetized needle in it, to find their way.
—
Scott Brame,
The Conversation,
16 Dec. 2025
Starting in 1910, the company served as the secretive supplier to the commandos of the Italian Navy, starting out crafting precision instruments such as gun sights and luminescent compasses before creating its first watches in 1935.
—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
Orienteering is an outdoor sport that requires athletes to navigate between checkpoints using maps and compasses.
—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compasses
Noun
-
Their architect, Michael Lehrer, created a striking design with a butterfly roof slanting up in two directions from the center, zigzag walls and picture windows front and back.
-
The vendors circling this space entered from different directions, which is why the category still looks fragmented.
Noun
-
Avian scopes are typically below 20, and so are the scopes for fishes.
-
Permissions are increasingly derived at runtime from natural-language intent in ways that OAuth scopes were never designed to govern.
Noun
-
Fold the foil in half, then fold up the edges to make 2-inch-high sides.
-
Authorities appeared concerned about the dangers of having a large crowd alongside the procession, with officials on loudspeakers urging the public to walk slowly, not to push and to stay to the edges of the street.
Verb
-
Eligible for a maximum of two four-year terms, the president implements policies within the framework set out by the supreme leader and spearheads Iran’s diplomacy.
-
While acknowledging potential job displacement, the bank proactively implements retraining and redeployment programs to retain talent, emphasizing a strategic focus on workflows and connected infrastructure for successful AI integration.
Verb
-
The gas giant circles its star at an unexpectedly close distance—about 50 times nearer than the Earth’s orbit around the sun.
-
Chapter 1 Randy Fields stalks through the newsroom, circles my desk and sits across from me.
Verb
-
While Burnham plots his next move, the UK government now enters a new period of uncertainty, potentially facing a sixth prime minister in seven years.
-
An engineer plots a well’s falling output, fits a curve, and projects it forward.
Verb
-
With Harry's anticipated return to the UK this week, much interest surrounds the very public royal rift and many are wondering if the brothers will reunite.
-
Biddinger hopes the shrine at Queen of Heaven will help diminish the stigma that still often surrounds suicide.
Verb
-
The cocktail is a fantastic way to get acquainted with Fernet Branca, and who knows?
-
Our constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.
Cite this Entry
“Compasses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compasses. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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